Stewed Beef

This is my latest favorite, quick and easy recipe I kinda figured out and played with till I LOVE it! =D You can see the chunk of frozen chicken stock in my pan here, Click the link for this easy, health-full recipe.

Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cook Time: 1-2 hours (depending on the toughness of your beef)

Ingredients:
Stew Meat
Chicken/ Vegetable/ beef stock (homemade is preferred)
Butter
Fresh ground pepper
sea salt
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Filtered water
Flour

So, I usually don't think far enough ahead to thaw my meat very well, and am a firm believer in using as little Microwaving as possible, but I DO sit my meat in a ziploc bag in some warm water for an hour, so I can break the little pieces apart :)

Heat up your skillet on high on your gas stove (seriously, the best stoves out there!) till 2 Tbsp butter start to smoke, and put your stewed meat in and make sure they are all evenly spaced. Leave your stove on high.

Turn on your slow cooker to high, and put in 1 1/2 cups chicken/ beef/ vegetable stock. Homemade is preferred, find recipe for homemade stock here :) 

As your meat is spitting and frying sprinkle on a generous amount of sea salt, fresh ground pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Please dont stir your meat until it is BROWN on one side- this can take about 5-10mins depending on how frozen your meat is =)

Once brown, using tongs, turn over your pieces and sprinkle generous amounts of sea salt, fresh-ground pepper, onion powder and garlic powder on this side.

Once brown on both sides, there should be lots of dark brown drippings that you want to hang onto, so pop your meat pieces in your slow cooker.

Pour a few Tbsp of water in the frying pan while still hot, and make sure you get all those drippings off your pan and into your slow cooker. This adds FABULOUS flavor!

Leave on high in your slow cooker for 1-2 hours, depending on how much time you have.

Just before serving, make a paste with about 3 Tbsp flour (whole wheat is preferred) and  about 1/4 cup water, stir in with your meat till thick, and serve with steamed cauliflower and salad.

Tip: This recipe can be tweaked to add your favorite veggies of any kind :) Make it into a full blown stew! Just remember that the more veggies you add, the less flavor your gravy will have, so season accordingly :)
bon apetit! :) :)

Tip: Fresh cracked pepper is a finicky thing! The longer you cook pepper, the HOTTER it gets! Tim loves the hotness from pepper, but if you are not a fan, I would suggest to only use pepper on one side of your beef pieces when you are frying them!

Tip: This can be HG Strict recipe by using a gelatin or similar for thickening agent instead of the flour! Try other things out and let me know how it goes!! :)

Tip: Click here for pic of meal with stewed beef =)